Charge transfer



y 1944- H. H. WHEELER 2,353,424

CHARGE TRANSFER Filed April 10, 1941 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Q I E INVENTORHENRY H.WHEELER Patented July 11, 1944 UNITED STATES i ATENT OFFICE 2,353,424" I f l p p v CHARGE TRANSFER Henry H. Wheeler, Brooklyn, N. Y.,assignor to International Cigar Machinery Company, a

I corporationof New Jersey Application April 10, 1941', Serial No.387,898

I 6 Claims. ('01. 131 -38) This invention relates to improvements incigar machines, more particularly to the bunch charge transfer'thereof.

Heretofore in the type of machine shown in my co-pending'application,Serial Number 304,299, filed November 14, 1939, on which Patent No.2,311,011 was granted February 16, 1943, the bunch charge was ejectedfrom the charge trans fer upon a portion of the bunch-rolling apronwhich was raised into contact with the charge transfer and then lowered,preparatory to rolling of the charge within the binder, by a suctionplatform to which the portion of the apron carrying the charge adhered.Since the downward movement of the ejector of said charge transferstopped when the ejector reached thebottom of the transfer pocket, thecharge was not thereafter held on the apron during the relatively suddendescent of the suction platform and apron away from said transfer and atsuch time was liable to become disturbed; and this tended to impair itsuniformity particularly at the fishtails" on its head and tuck ends.Moreover the adhesion of the apron to the suction platform Was sometimesinsuflicient to pull the apron all the way down with the chargedeposited thereon. Since the ejector of the present charge transferserves to press the charge on the apron until the suction platform hasdescended to its lowermost position, disturbance of the bunch charge isavoided and the apron will be pulled down to the proper position forrolling the cigar bunch.

Accordingly, one of the objects of the invention is to press the chargeagainst the apron until the apron has descended to its lowermostposition to I prevent disturbance of the charge, and a further object isto assure descent of the apron to the proper position for rolling acigar bunch.

.In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specificationand in which like characters of reference indicate the same or likeparts:.

Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevation on line II of Fig. 2 of a portionof a cigar machine showing the improved charge transfer;

Figure 2 isa cross-section of the charge transfer;

Fig. 3 is a detail side elevation from line 8--3 of Fig. 2, showing thecharge transfer at chargereceiving position, together with the mechanismfor displacing the charge transfer to delivery position, the chargeejecting plunger of the transfer being shown in section;

Fig. 4 is a partial plan view of a cigar machine with the improvedcharge transfer; and

Fig; 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the charge transfer taken onthe line 55 of Fig. 2.

Referring to Fig. 4, the leaf tobacco is placed in a feed channel formedby a horizontal endless belt II5 and two vertical endless belts I20 andI2I, to form a layer T of the proper thickness. These belts may bedriven and controlled to advance the layer T'under a pressure foot I22(corresponding to the pressure foot- 228 shown in Fig. 15 of Patent2,311,011 and a reciprocable knife I84 (corresponding to the knife 84shown in Fig. 15 of Patent 2,311,011) on to the cutting platform Iii.The knife I84 is attached to a reciprocable bar I corresponding to thebar 225 shown'in Fig. 15 of Patent 2,311,011, and is raised to permitpassage of the layer T. The foot I22 is supported from the bar I85 inthe same manner in which the foot 228 is supported in Fig. 15 of saidpatent. The platform #0, which is provided with longitudinal slots I2,is mounted on the head or platform Id of a plunger I3 supported in aslide I8. Reference may be had to said patent for the details of theconstruction of the mechanism for driving belts I I5, I 20 and I2I, andthe construction of the platform I4 and plunger I6. As shown in theabove mentioned patent, slide I8 receives vertical reciprocatory motionfrom a suitable cam operated rodlnot shown) of the machine. The tobaccolayer is forwarded in each cycle from the feed channel on to the cuttingplatform It by incremerits corresponding to the desired bunch length.Side walls 28 extending at either side of the platform I0, confine thetobacco layer thereon. The platform I4 is then raised, thus forcing aknife I86 fastened on the inner end of the platform against the knifeI84, which is moved downwardly to clamp the tobacco layer against knifeI85, and'thereby cutting the section advanced upon the platform from theremainder of the tobacco layer.

Above the'platform in a position aligned with the side walls 20, asshown in Fig. 1, is located a charge transfer 22 having a pocket withinwhich is located a plunger 24 engaging the side walls 26 'of the pocket.The side walls 26 are suspended from a cover 28 having an extension 30(Fig. 2) at one end thereof to which is fastened a slide 32 engagingwith a stationary horizontal guide rail 34 equipped with a separategibrail 35. The opposite end of cover 28 supports a slide 38 engaging astationary guide rail 48 which is part of a bracket 42. The slide 32 isattached to a link 44 extending upwardly from an endless chain 46running over sprockets I08 and I09. The mechanism for driving the chain.46 is similar to that disclosed in Fig. 12 of the above-mentionedPatent No. 2,311,011 and comprises a pinion II2 mounted on the shaftIII] of sprocket I08, shaft I I being supported in pedestal III andpinion IIZ meshing with a rack H3. The rack I I3 is slidably mounted inpedestal III and connected by a link II4 to a cam lever H5. The rack H3is guided in pedestal III by cover H6 and its upper end is protected bya housing II'I secured to the upper end of the pedestal. The chain IIIis thus driven to move the transfer horizontally from charge-receivingposition to charge-delivery position. The sprocket I09 is supported on ashaft I I8 carried by a bracket H9 secured to rail 34 and adjustablethereon by adjusting screw I20.

With the charge transfer 22 in. charge-receiving position as shown infull lines (Fig. 1), the platform I4 is raised to its upper position,lifting the severed bunch length intothe charge transfer pocket andagainst the ejector or plunger 24, and compressing the bunch lengththerein. The plunger 25 is attached to the lower end of a rod 4& slidingin a hub or boss 50 of cover 28, the upper end 52 of rod 4% beingsmaller in diameter and thereby forming a shoulder 54 which is normallyheld against the inner face of the crownknob 55 by compression springs58- se-ated against the cover 28 and engaging collars. 60 fastened onrods 62 passingthrough the cover and. fastened to plunger 24. Thus theplunger 24 is held in an upper position corresponding to the desiredthickness of the charge. The knob 55 is threaded on to the threadedportion 63 of the boss and by turning the knob 55 the point at which theupward movement of plunger 24 will be stopped can be varied to producedifferent thicknesses of charges tosuit small or large cigar bunches.The knob 56 is kept from accidental turning by means of a spring'wire G4snapped i-ntoone of its grooves.

With the charge transfer pocket loaded, a horizontal oscillating knifeblade 66, Fig. 4, which may be supported and actuated in the same manneras described in my PatentNo. 2,311,011, moves forward to sever thecharge inserted in the pocket. Supporting fingers ISI (Fig. 4) move intoslots I2 in the cutting platform It which is now at raised position. Theplatform I4 then returns to its down position leaving the surplus cutfiller sections on the said fingers at the position I6I" thereof, shownin Fig. 3. When the platform againascends with a cut filler section thefingers are withdrawn from the position in which they support thesurplus tobacco, thereby leaving this surplus tobacco on top of thenewly cut section being elevated by the platform. The mechanism foractuating the supporting fingers is similar to that shown in said PatentNo. 2,311,011.,

The measured charge lodged in the charge transfer 22 is then slid acrossthe plate 6! to a position adjacent the rolling table 68 of the machine,by the movement of the chain 46, to the dotted position shown in Fig. 1.At this latter position the charge is deposited on the rolling apron 59which has been raised to its upper position by the suction box or lifterplatform 70'. Since the construction of the lifter platform, apron androlling table and the mechanism (not shown) for applying suction to theinterior of the platform is similar to that shown in Patent No.2,311,011, further description thereof is deemed unnecessary except tonote that the air is exhausted from suction chamber Id through a hollownipple 2I4 slidable in a bore of socket 2I5 which communicates with aduct 2I6 formed in the base of the machine, duct 2I6 being connectedthrough pipes similar to the pipes 2H and 2I8 of Patent N0. 2,311,011 tothe suction system of the machine. Moreover one end of the apron isfastened to the remote end of the table and the other apron end issecured to the drum I2 which is suitably operated as shown in saidPatent No. 2,311,011 to slacken the apron sufficiently to permit theformation of a loop therein during the ejection of the bunch charge.However it will be noted that the top of the platform 10 is perforatedas indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1 to produce suctional adhesion ofthe apron to the platform during the descent of the latter.

An arm I4 is mounted on shaft I6 supported in bracket 42 and is providedwith a cam block I8 having an inclined face I9 whose lower edge isarranged to engage the roller on the upper end 52 of rod 48 when thecharge transfer is at delivery position above the rolling apron todisplace the plunger 24 downwardly and eject the charge while theunderlying portion of the apron is descending. On the shaft 65 is alsofastened an arm 82 connected by a link 84 to an arm 86' fastened onshaft 88. The arm is connected to a rod 90 which is actuated by a camlever (not shown) corresponding to the cam lever 224 of the abovementioned patent, and an arm 92 fastened on shaft 88 is connected bylink 94 to platform It. Thus when the rod 9 3 is displaced downwardlythe cam block I3. forces the rod A8 downwardly to eject the charge fromthe charge transfer pocket and the platform I0 descends with the apron69 which adheres suctionally to the platform. While the plunger 24 isexpelling the tobacco charge from the pocket on to the apron 69, itserves to hold the charge on the descending portion of the apron untilit comes to rest. The charge transfer is then moved horizontally toreturn it tocharge-receiving position, and the roller 80 rides along theinclined cam face I8 as springs 58 return the plunger 24 to its upperposition within the transfer pocket.

The expelled charge on the rolling apron 69 is now ready to be rolledinto a cigar bunch by the action of rolling pin 98 which is providedwith trunnions suitably supported and actuated as shown in theabove-mentioned patent to swing the plate 6-1, which is fastened on thetrunnions of the rolling pin, over upon the charge deposited upon theapron where it remains during the forward movement of the rolling pinand is later returned to its initial position.

The plunger 24, Fig. 1, is provided with corrugated extensions I09corresponding in shape to the fishtail ends of the underlying charge,and thereby holding the fishtail ends of the charge in orderly fashionwhen delivered to the pocket and also when expelled on to the apron 69,and interengaging similarly shaped cut-outs in a plate I02. The plateH32 is suspended on rods I04, which are slidably mounted in the cover 28in a manner similar to the studs 248' shown in Fig.

15 of my Patent 2,311,011, and urged downwardly by compression springsI08 which are coiled about the rods and act to keep plate I02 in theposition shown in Fig. 2 hereof below the plunger 24, except when raisedby the bunch length cutting knife I84, as the latter ascends prior toits d'escent into position to clamp the filler layer on the knifefastened on platform I4.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cigar machine, the combination with a bunch rolling apron, of acharge transfer movable horizontally from charge-receiving position tocharge-delivery position and provided with a pocket having an openbottom through which a bunch charge may be vertically inserted, a deviceunderlying said open bottom for maintaining the charge in said pocket assaid transfer moves from charge receiving position toward deliveryposition, said transfer being provided with in said pocket with anejector adapted to eject the charge therefrom, a member having ahorizontal face underlying said apron, means for moving said member tocarry said apron upwardly into contact with the bottom of said transferat the delivery position'thereof and then lowering said member with theapron during the ejection of the charge, and mechanism for displacingsaid ejector downwardly through said pocket at the charge-deliveryposition of said transfer to eject the charge upon the apron and pressthe charge thereon until the apron descends with said member into itsinitial position.

2. In a cigar machine; the combination with a bunch rolling apron; of acharge transfer movable from charge-receiving position to chargedeliveryposition and provided with a pocket having an open bottom through whicha bunch charge may be inserted, said transfer being provided within saidpocket with an ejector adapted to eject the charge therefrom; membersfor maintaining said charge in said pocket as the transfer moves fromcharge receiving position toward delivery position means for moving saidapron upwardly into contact with the bottom of said transfer andlowering the apron during the ejection of the charge; and mechanism fordisplacing said ejector downwardly through said pocket at thecharge-delivery position of said transfer to eject the charge upon theapron and press the charge thereon until the apron descends into itsinitial position; said ejector having a portion protruding from the topof said pocket; and said mechanism including a movable, member arrangedto engage said protruding portion at the charge-delivery position ofsaid transfer, and displace said ejector downwardly through the pocketfor ejection and pressing of the charge upon the apron, and a device forurging said ejector upwardly in said pocket; and said means including amovable hollow element adapted to be connected to a source of suctionand having a perforated face engaging the under face of the portion ofthe apron engaging said plunger, to suctionally retain the apron on saidperforated face during the descent of said element and a device forraising and lowering said element.

3. In a cigar machine, the combination with a bunch rolling apron, of acharge transfer movable horizontally from charge-receiving position tocharge-delivery position and provided with a pocket having an openbottom through which a bunch charge may be vertically inserted, a deviceunderlying said open bottom for maintaining the charge in said pocket assaid transfer moves from charge receiving position toward deliveryposition, said transfer being provided within said pocket with anejector adapted to eject the charge therefrom, a member having ahorizontal face underlying said apron, means for moving said member tocarry said apron upwardly into contact with the bottom of said transferand then lowering said member with the apron during the ejection of thecharge, mechanism for displacing said ejector downwardly through saidpocket at the charge-delivery position of said transfer to eject thecharge upon the apron and press the charge thereon until the aprondescends with said member into its initial position, and yieldingdevices normally maintaining said ejector within said pocket.

4. In a cigar machine, the combination with a bunch rolling apron, of acharge transfer movable from a charge-receiving to a charge deliveryposition overlying said apron and adapted to transfer a bunch charge tosaid charge-delivery position, means for moving said apron upwardly into,pOSitiOll to receive the charge therefrom and then downwardly with thecharge deposited thereon, said means including a suction platform onwhich said apron is suctionally retained and which is vertically movableto raise and lower the apron, and mechanism for pressing the apronagainst said platform during the descent of the latter to assureadhesion of the apron thereto.

5. Transfer mechanism for a cigar bunch making machine of the kind inwhich a bunch charge is separated from the upper end of a tobacco columnwithin a transfer device which is then movable horizontally to a chargedelivery position at which the charge is ejected from the device on tothe raised portion of a bunch rolling apron, said mechanism comprising ahorizontally movable transfer device having a vertically movableejector, means normally holding said ejector in a predetermined upperposition within said device, and actuating means operative in thecharge-delivery position of said transfer device to move said ejectordownwardly a substantial distance beyond the bottom of the transferdevice, for the purpose of holding the charge securely upon said apronportion during the return of the latter to its lower initial rollingposition.

6. Transfer mechanism for a cigar bunch making machine of the kind inwhich a bunch charge is separated from the upper end of a tobacco columnwithin a transfer device which is then movable horizontally to a chargedelivery position at which the charge is ejected from the device ontothe raised portion of a bunch rolling apron, said mechanism comprisinga horizontally movable transfer device having a vertically movableejector, spring means normally holding said ejector in a predeterminedupper position within said device, and actuating means operative in thecharge-delivery position of said transfer device to move said ejectordownwardly a substantial distance beyond the bottom of the transferdevice, for the purpose of holding the charge securely upon said apronportion during the return of the latter to its lower initial rollingposition, said actuating means being located at the chargedeliveryposition and a part of the ejector being brought into operative relationto said means by the movement of the transfer device into said deliveryposition, and said actuating means including a pivoted lever swingableupwardly and downwardly, a plate secured to the free end of said lever,and a roller secured to said ejector, said plate being adapted to engagesaid roller and provided with an upwardly inclined surface with whichsaid roller coacts as the transfer device starts to return forcharge-receiving position to control the return upward movement of theejector to the predetermined upper position in which it is held by saidspring means.

HENRY H. WHEELER.

